A bank account is a contract; you must be 18 to enter into a contract, so you are not eligible at the age of 16 to open an account on your own. What you can do is open a joint account with your mom.She then assumes the responsibility for the account and the use of the account by you. The lender may issue debit cards, but you will have to explore those policies with your mom. There is, however, no such thing as a "teen account" that allows kids under 18 to open accounts on their own.